Foldable link-button



J. L. HERZOG. FoLnALE LINK BUTTON.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.II,19I8.

Patented Feb. 1,1921'.

WITNESSES A TTORNE YS UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE.` l

JOSEPH L. HERZOG,` OE NEW `ROCHELLE, NEW YORK.

FOLDABLE LINK-BUTTON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

-pose where a quickly insertible or removable button is desired; and is of the type comprising a pair of buttons `or button heads proper and an interposed connecting link member havingl its ends pivoted or joined to the respective heads so that one or both of said heads may be folded flat against the link when it is desired to insert the button into or remove it from the garment, and folded transversely to the link after the button has been inserted so as tofhold the garment between the heads. When both heads Vare folded againstthe link, they and the link will all lie in a substantially common plane. My improvement comprises a foldable button of the type described in which the button-head proper has but two pieces, one or both of which is resilient, joined together, preferably, at their outer edges and holding between 'them the pivotal end or pintle `of the link. This link end'lor 4pintle is shaped so that, working cooperatively with the inner faces 'of the head, said head tends to be positivelyheld in either of its two abovespecified' limiting` positions, e. e., fiat against the i link or transverse thereto.

'M'y invention will be better understood by referring to the' 'accompanying drawings in which Figures 1 to 10 inclusive" show' the in vention embodied in a preferred form of cliff button, Figs. `11 to 13 showtheinvention- `in 'i1-modified form of' cuff button, and Figs. 14 to 17 show the invention in 'still another modifiedE form ofA cuil" button.

' In these drawings, Fig. 1 represents a side view of the button with the heads in open or garment retaining position; Fig. 2 represents aview similar to Fig. 1 but with both heads folded ready for insertion in the garment; Fig; 3 represents a view taken from the top of? F ig. 2; Figs. 4 and 5 represent respectively arearlview of, andacentrai-section through, the back plate of the 'button of Figs. `14 and l5; and Fig. 17 is a :said heads.

trated, identical in size and one or both may i preferably button head; Fig. 6 represents the connecting link :as seen in Fig. 1 but with the but-I ton heads detached; Fig. 7 represents a rear view and Fig. S a central section through the front plate of the button head; Fig. 9 represents, on an enlarged scale, a central section through one end of the button taken at right angles to the link pivot or pintle with the button-head in folded position; Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but with the `button-head 'half-way between the folded and open position; Fig. 11 shows `a `central section, parallel with the pivot intle. through one ofthe ends of a 4modifier form of the invention; Fig. 112 represents a view taken from the rear of Fig. 11; F ig'. 13 represents a perspective view of one end of the link used in' the form of the invention shown in Figs. 11 and 12; Fig. 14 represents a side or 'edge view of one end of another modified form of cuff button; Fig. 15 represents a rear view of Fig. 14; Fig. 16 is a central section, on an enlarged scale, parallel to the pivot pintle through" one end of the view similar toiFig. 1G butshow'ing the front plate of the button-head before the rear plate has been put in place. 1 j i Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 to 10 inclusive, 1 represents the button as a whole including two similar circular heads, 2, 3, and a link, 4, pivoted to and connecting The heads may be, as illusbe provided with `anyl desired Ornamente-- tion. Or, the head members may' be of differentsizes and 'one or bothl may be differently shaped., as, for instance, elliptical, square, or` the like.

` Each head comprises the following parts,

stamped `from `sheet metal, namely, an outer clap or frontplate, 5 ha'va peripheral flange, 6*, and an inner or vback plate, 7. A short diametral but eccentric slot,8, is cutout of thisback piece, and, also, preferably, diametrally but at right angles thereto, the material lis pressed out'- wardly` at 9, so as to providebearings for'the ends of pivot pintles, 10, whichare formed at each end of the link 4, fand project therefrom. l

Link 4 is preferably of flattened crosssection, in thiscase. that of an ellipse, and

`bent or curved inl the planeof the longer axis `thereof to which longer axis, `ateach i a part of the metal is bent inwardly, as

shown in Fi s. 4 and 5, to constitute a tongue, 11. o, also, at the other or central end of slot 8, the metal is pressed outwardly, as at 12, inline with one vside of the bearings 9, so as to serve as astop for positively limiting the movementy of the link 4 when the button-head, 2, is unfolded with respect thereto. f.

Link, 4, may, also, be readily formed and shaped from sheet metal by a single punching operation. v 'In assembling the button an end of link, 4,is held adjacent to the rear side of back plate, 7, e., top of Fig. 4 and right of Fig. 5) and turned so that pintle, 10, lies in the plane of slot 8; the link end may then be thrust through the slot. The link should then be again turned so as to bring the pintle, 10, adjacent to or facing tongue, 11, with the pintle endsV in the bearings, 9. The link and back plate being held in this stated position, the back plate should now be inserted withinthe cup formed by flange, 6, upon the rear of front plate, 5. A suitable press operation, readily understood by those skilled in the art, may now be employed to fold the edges of fiange. 6, over upon the back plate, thus permanently uniting them, and to simultaneously press tongue, 11, back into the plane of the back plate, thus bringing the tongue end closely adjacent the pintle and substantially closing the unfilled opening in the back plate. The saine operation may then be repeated with reference to the other end of the link and its head. Or, the tongue, 11, may first be pressed back into the plane of the back plate before the pressing operation tounitethe front and back plates, is undertaken.

The bearings, 9, should be of such depth, withY relation to the thickness of the pintle, 10, that, with the latter in either of its two limiting'positions (as shown in Fig. 1 as compared with Figs. 2, 3, and 9, e. 9.), the front and backplates, 5, and. 7, will beheld slightly separated, thus insuring that either of vthese limiting positions will be maintained until theo'button-head is positively swung upon the pintle, either against or away from the link, as thecase may be.

With the button-head unfolded or setting across the link, 4, (Fig. 1), the link will be abuttedagainstv by'thestop, 12, so that its furthermovement upon'its'pintle with respect to the button-head will be prevented.

In foldingor runfolding the button-head about the pintle with respect to the link, the front and back plates are positively forced farther apart during the iirst 45 of rotation against the resiliency of said plates;

while, during the remaining 450, the resilf iency of the plates will act with and assist the positively applied force.

Either the front or back plate may be relatively stiff and unyielding, thus placing all the effective resiliency in the remaining plate; or, the effective resiliency may be divided between the two plates to any desired extent by suitably determining the two plates either as to thickness, hardness, or some other qualifying factor.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 11 to 13 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 10 except that the button-heads are outwardly convexed instead of fiat. This is accomplished by suitably and similarly shaping both the front and back plates, 5, and, 7, and by giving the faces of the pintles, 10, a corresponding curvature. The mode of assembly and operation is the same as for the button of Figs. 1 to 10.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 14 to 17 differs substantially from that of Figs. 1 to 10 only in that the fiange, G', corresponding to {iange 6 of Figs. 1 to 10 and of Figs. 11 to 13, is formed upon the back of the front plate at a distance from the outer edge instead of actually at said edge.

My improved button may, of course, have either or both of the button-heads engraved or ornamented or set with stones, as may be preferred.

The' improveed button is extremely neat in appearance and very simple and easy to manufacture, involving as it does merely very usual and ordinary punching and pressing operations. Its construction is, also, especially desirable in that it is purely mechanical requiring neither soldering nor brazing.

Another advantage of my improved button is that but three different pieces enter into its construction, viz., the front plate, the back plate, and the connecting link.

I may, of course. if I prefer. substitute an anchored, non-foldable head for the foldable head, at one end of the link, this type of link button being well-known in the art. In this case, the tongue, 11, may be omitted and the opening in the back plate made just large enough to permit the link to pass therethrough since the link end to be anchored will require no pintle, and may be passed through the opening in the back plate before the anchoring operation is performed.

While I prefer the use of the stop, 12, so as to compel the button-head to always fold upon the same side of the link, I may, by omitting the stop, permit the head to fold on either side of the link. f

Other details may be varied within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following Claims:

l. In a foldable link button, the combination of a two part head comprising a front plate forming the exposed and actual. front of the head and a back plate connected with said front plate and forming the exposed and actual back of the head, at least one of said plates being resilient, a link and a terminal pintle lying between said plates whereby said head is pvotally mounted on said link, said pintle having a plurality of faces adapted for surface engagement with the inner surface 0f one of said plates wherebythe head is fixed in its folded and unfolded position by the resiliency of said one plate.

2. In a foldable link button, the combi nation of a link, a terminal pintle forming part of said link and having a plurality of surfaces, and a two part head pivotally mounted on said pintle and comprising pe ripherally connected plates constituting the exposed and actual front and back of the head between which Said pintle is located and cooperating with the surfaces thereof to liX said head in its folded and unfolded po- Sition7 said plates being in substantial surface engagement with each other in said folded and unfolded positions of the head and being spread apart as said head swings to and from said positions.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH L. HERZOG. 

